Governors' Mugie House: Information from the owner

Family Cottage

An ensuite double and twin room are interconnected by a spacious lounge area and a wide verandah with private plunge pool.

Suite with private plunge pool

Luxury suite: Enjoy a private plunge pool on your verandah, with views out over the Laikipia plains. (*** one more suite coming 2021).

The Garden Cottage

A beautiful stone cottage surrounded by the pretty gardens.

Twin and Double Cottages

Ensuite stone cottages are furnished with fireplaces and luxurious baths. Each enjoys an expansive view over the landscape or over the colourful Mugie House garden.

Anti-poaching unit

The Mugie Rangers are based close by with a team of bloodhounds who are used for daily anti-poaching patrols. Visit their headquarters to learn about the work they do, and experience the power of their keen scenting skills with a tracking demonstration. Ask the manager to book a visit for you to meet the dogs and their handlers. If they are available, they will be happy for you to participate in a mock search, to demonstrate the hounds incredible sense of smell, with you hidden away as the ‘poacher’! You’ll be impressed with just how quickly they find you! A small gratuity given directly to the handlers will be greatly appreciated if you enjoyed your experience with them. A visit to the bloodhound unit is not "charged for" per se, however guests are encouraged to make a donation towards the upkeep of the dogs.

Canoeing on Mugie Dam

Mugie Dam is Kenya's third largest private dam with 156 acres of surface area to explore. The dam welcomes a variety of game which comes to drink or graze along the shore - especially elephants that are partial to a playful dip in its refreshing waters. Governors' Mugie House has four beautiful Canadian canoes which guests can enjoy during an early morning's entertainment. Canoeing on the dam offers a thrilling opportunity to view wildlife from the water, out in the open air, armed with the spirit of adventure. If a family of elephants happens to be bathing at the same time, rest assured that you have just witnessed one of life's most enchanting adventures. Please note that for safety reasons, participants must be 12 years and over for canoeing excursions. Included in the accommodation rate.

Day and Night Game Drives on Mugie

Enjoy our traditional shared game drives with a dedicated, highly qualified and experienced guide, which are available daily, in our specially-designed vehicles. Game drives can depart at any time, though are generally best in the early morning or late afternoon when animals tend to be more active as the temperature is a little cooler. If you would like to extend your afternoon game drive into the early evening, please speak with your guide. Look out for all members of 'The Mugie Five'; there are five species living on the conservancy which guests of Governors’ Mugie won’t find at any of our other properties. Each is perfectly adapted for a life in more drought-prone regions and each needs special conservation efforts to ensure their long-term survival in the wild as all of their global populations are currently listed as ‘endangered’, or in the case of the striped hyena, ‘near threatened’ Explore the varying landscape of Mugie, from the dam to olive tree forests and acacia scrubland, host to a wealth of diverse wildlife including northern endemic species such as the Grevy's zebra, Jackson's hartebeests, reticulated giraffe and and beisa oryx. Included in the accommodation rate.

Electric bike adventure

Explore Mugie’s spectacular landscape and unique wildlife by venturing out on a sustainably powered electric mountain bike with your safari guide. E-biking on Mugie Conservancy is a great opportunity to embark on an eco-friendly adventure along a stunningly scenic route, with plenty of (close-up) wildlife encounters along the way. We suggest heading out early morning or late afternoon while the day is still relatively cool and the game is more likely to be out in the open. Expect a variety of animals such as zebras, giraffes, oryx, buffalo, warthogs, elephants, impalas, hyenas, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, to stare curiously as you cruise by. How do electric bikes work? Simply start peddling which kicks starts a motor that gives consistent electrical energy to the bike. You can literally pedal at your own pace and with ease, feeling completely relaxed with your guide for company and a support car that drives a little distance a head, for safety. Guests must be 12 years+ for this activity and groups are limited to four people at a time. There is no need to book this activity in advance, nor is there any extra charge. Included in the accommodation rate.

Golfing

Enjoy a round of golf on this 9-hole private course, which is also Kenya’s most northern golf course! Caddies are available to help you whether you are a beginner or a pro. A tip is suggested for the caddy as they are not employees of Governors’ Mugie. The golf course is also a perfect place for a walk or jog, or a spot of birdwatching! The cost for golfing is USD $40 per person if guests need to hire clubs, or USD $25 per person if guests bring their own.

Guided bush walks

Get up close with nature on a foot safari and experience the untamed beauty of the Laikipia region. Being out of a car will allow you to get down to the same level as the wildlife and the smaller creatures that inhabit this incredible ecosystem. Learn all about them and their importance from your guide. Please note that for safety reasons, participants must be 16 years and over for guided bush walks. Included in the accommodation rate.

Lion tracking

There are currently around 55 lions on Mugie Conservancy with four identified prides and two dispersal groups. Research on predators in the area has seen three females and one male collared, in order to monitor the pride’s movements and better understand where interactions occur, that can lead to human-wildlife conflict. Guests can head out with our very own guide and tracking equipment to look for the collared lions and learn about the use of this technology assists the conservancy in aiding pastoralists and wildlife to live alongside each other. Please note, the uneven topography dense bush in some areas means that tracking can be challenging and although you may pick up their signal, you might not necessarily find them. Included in the accommodation rate.

Ranching and farming on Mugie Conservancy

Mugie Conservancy is at the forefront of conservation, operating as a low-impact cattle ranch and farm alongside preserving the delicate and productive ecosystems that host abundant wildlife, and provide key corridors for wildlife between the Laikipia plateau, the Mathews Range and the Samburu lands to the north and east. Guests are welcomed to visit the ranching and farm operations to understand how each functions alongside securing essential habitat for wildlife. Mugie Trading Stock has brought about a new era of community livestock management, based on the premise of shared resources. This is a program unique to Mugie, it's a program from which all parties benefit and furthers conservation, environmental and ecological conscientiousness. Head down to visit the Mugie farm to collect freshly laid eggs or watch the dairy cows being milked at dawn. Learn about the Miraa plant and how it provides much needed income for many of our community neighbours. Saturday is Mugie's 'Dip Day' - a fascinating experience for those that wish to see this cutting-edge program for themselves. Included in the accommodation rate.

Sundowners and bush picnics

Mugie's undulating landscape offers some excellent lookout points for a perfect sundowner or bush picnic. As the sunsets, this is a lovely time of the day to take a minute out and watch the sunset over the Laikipia landscape with a cold drink in hand. Included in the accommodation rate.

Tala the Reticulated Giraffe

Tala is most definitely one of Mugie's ‘cast of characters’. Tala became an orphan at just a few days old after her mother was killed by lions and she was brought to Mugie Conservancy by a local herder after she began following his herd of goats. There, she was cared for by Margaret who quickly became her surrogate mother. Today she wanders freely within the conservancy, but often returns to her chosen ‘home’ at the Head Quarters - where the staff are quite accustomed to being overseen by this towering presence. Included in the accommodation rate.

Visit the Pokot

Guests staying at Governors’ Mugie have the opportunity to visit the Pokot at a nearby village and learn about the traditions and customs of this colourful tribe who hail from the districts of West Pokot and Baringo. Watch highly adorned women carry out vibrant song and dance while an elderly lady prepares cloth out of a goat hide. Meanwhile, a village elder demonstrates the art of fire making by rubbing two pieces of wood of different hardnesses together and other men play a fast-paced game of ‘bao’ in the sand. You are also welcome to take a peek inside one of their homes and understand the importance of gourds; how they are made and the way in which they are used to store milk. This is a truly fascinating experience and should not be missed. This should be booked in advance if possible and a donation is requested - please ask for more info.

Visit the Samburu

We are now offering guests another truly authentic cultural experience from Governors’ Mugie – a visit to a nearby Samburu homestead. Interested guests will learn first hand about this colourful and culturally rich tribe. The Samburu are a Nilotic people of north-central Kenya that are related to, but distinct from, the Maasai. They are semi-nomadic pastoralists who herd mainly cattle but also keep sheep, goats and camels and are widely known for their beautiful attire. You will be welcomed inside their home, which is made of wattle and plastered with a mixture of cow dung and earth. The houses are dark and smoke from their constantly mouldering fireplace fills the air inside. Well-used gourds are prized possessions, used to make the traditional drink of cows blood and milk. The houses are divided into two small rooms, one for the women and children and the other for the man. The whole family sleeps on slightly raised beds which are covered by cow hides. Outside you will enjoy a vibrant song and dance performance by the ladies, learn how to make a fire in the traditional way by rubbing two sticks together and will have an opportunity to appreciate all of the comings and goings of Samburu daily life. This should be booked in advance if possible and a donation is requested - please ask for more info.

Wildlife hide

Discreetly sunken into the ground, our newly constructed hide offers an unobtrusive perspective and eye-level views of animals and birds at the waterhole. Guests can spend any amount of time (even overnight) in the well-designed structure, which has four bunk beds, a bathroom and a wide working bench with charging sockets. Expect all kinds of activity throughout the day; elephants, giraffes, impalas, buffalos, zebras, and more will come and go to quench their thirst, especially in the dry season. At night, patience pays off to see a range of nocturnal species such as striped and spotted hyenas, lions, leopards, porcupines, bat-eared foxes, genet cats and bush pigs. Being "one-on-one" with wildlife that is completely oblivious to your presence allows for some exceptional photo opportunities. Located just 200 meters below the main house, one of our armed guards will escort you to the hide as part of our walking experience, or we can drive you down. Once you are settled in, we can keep you company or leave you to enjoy this enriching experience alone.